The dilemma of internally displaced persons

Wed, 2009-05-27 - By Asif Haroon Raja

In the aftermath of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979, Pakistan had to bear the burden of over 3.5 million Afghan refugees; 1.7 millions have still not returned. Besides the economic burden, they have inflicted huge damage to the social fabric of the society particularly where their influx has been the maximum. Large percentage of Afghan refugees who had not been confined to the camps is living in all parts of the country. They are being cultivated by foreign agencies based in Kabul to serve their sinister designs.

Pakistan is now caught up with another similar situation in the wake of military operations in Lower Dir, Buner and Swat as a result of which over 2.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs) have posed a new kind of challenge to the government. The idea was to battle the militants head on, eliminate and flush them out of the valley and adjoining areas. What has actually happened is that peaceful residents have been unwittingly flushed out in massive numbers. The massive outflow was not anticipated either by NWFP or federal governments and hence was caught with their pants down.

Only 20% of the IDPs are residing in 26 camps in six districts of NWFP while 80% are living under own arrangements either in unused school buildings, under construction colonies or with relatives and friends. They came in their personal clothing with small bags and no cash since the banks had become non-operative. Coming from hill stations, the sweltering heat under thin tents with no electricity is a real test of their forbearance. Although hectic efforts are underway to provide basic amenities to the IDPs living in camps, so far the situation has not been controlled due to gigantic challenges. The NWFP government was neither prepared for such a large influx, nor equipped to deal with it. The federal government was slow in its response and did not take up the matter in real earnest.

About 4000 displaced persons, mostly children, women and old men tried to enter Sindh to find shelter with their kin and acquaintances but were stopped at Kashmore by Sindh government under pressure from Sindh nationalist parties led by JSQM and MQM. Uprooted from their homes, leaving behind their cattle, standing crop, cash in banks and entire household items, caught in the crossfire of the militants and the security forces, they have been turned into refugees within their homeland and some political leaders are trying to equate them with Afghan refugees while others are expressing fears that Taliban in the guise of IDPs might enter Sindh to disturb law and order. Strikes were observed in Sindh to protest their entry and to force the government to either return them or get each individual registered and confined to camps only.

Such vile elements must know that there is a large percentage of well-to-do among them who had to abandon their homes to save their lives. Even a poverty stricken Pakhtun has an ego, self-respect and pride and doesn’t like to be treated as a beggar. Unless the IDPs are handled with extreme care, they can become another security hazard in the future over which the state will have no control.

Every third person will become a non-state actor and an easy prey for the Taliban to make him a member of Tehrik-e-Taliban. It would give an excuse to US drones to freely choose targets and launch strikes in all nooks and corners of the country. While the elites would still be residing in safer environments of Red and Green Zones, security guards and bullet proof cars, the have-nots will be at the mercy of miscreants, Taliban and the drones.

It will be the deracinated, dispersed, dispossessed, disempowered and demoralized lot of IDPs that would decide the victory or defeat of Malakand battle. They are a momentous vulnerability and with each passing day this issue would get more and more complex and grave. Its tremors are felt in each and every nook and corner of the country.. Sindh in particular is getting restive on the issue of IDPs. The ANP-MQM collision and Pakhtun-Mohajir ethnic clash seems imminent. The IDPs are there to be won over by the rulers and the elites or lost to the detractors of Pakistan. This window of opportunity will remain open for a short period. Time is running out for the government and not for the Taliban and foreign agencies that are in no hurry. In fact they want prolongation of war and multiplication of discomforts of the IDPs. Longer the period of trial and tribulation for the IDPs, greater will be their sufferings leading to despair and hopelessness. It would open up greater opportunities for the vested groups to exploit and poison their minds and alienate them and turn them into suicide bombers. They would have achieved a great deal if they manage to cultivate few thousands from within 2.5 million whose patience is fast wearing thin.

Lots of funds are pouring in from international donors while local philanthropists are contributing handsomely towards various funds opened for welfare of IDPs. These are in addition to regular flow of assistance in kind from people belonging to all classes.. What is required is efficient and speedy distribution to the needy. While the public got energized at its own in no time to reach out to the IDPs in distress to ease their pains, the government response was sluggish. President Zardari remained out of the country for almost a month and so were ANP leader Asfandwali and some other political leaders during this critical juncture. The gravity of the situation demanded declaration of emergency to cope with extraordinary human tragedy of gigantic proportions. Punjab government as well as PML-N leader Nawaz responded with greater alacrity and took practical measures to provide speedy relief to the affected people and opened the gates of Punjab for IDPs. However, the tendency of point scoring to earn political mileage is again in display as was seen during the 2005 earthquake. Practice of showoff and boastful claims of sending so many truckloads of relief goods on media to gain popularity is against the spirit of Islam.

I recall the earthquake that struck Swat in 1975 causing extensive destruction, in the wake of which huge aid poured in from international community. The then populous leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto visited Swat and during his emotional speech to the grief stricken people he vowed to convert the devastated valley into a paradise with the help of external assistance received. His promise remained unfulfilled and the people as well as the valley remained as backward as ever except for the tourism industry picking up n 1990s. Had the amount received been honestly utilized for the uplift of Swat and its people, the phenomenon of Talibanisation would never have crept into this neglected region.

Each time that aid has flowed in from outside after natural or manmade calamities, it is frittered away by the corrupt and inefficient managers leaving behind tales of bungling and corruption. There is lot of cribbing among the people of Azad Kashmir where a mammoth earthquake had occurred in October 2005.

They say that only a fraction from the colossal amount donated by internal and external donors has been spent on reconstruction and rehabilitation. Given the poor track record, it is wished the incumbent regime makes amends and shows better results. It should shed away its traditional lackluster approach and for a change put its best foot in front to undertake relief works in real earnest. Provision of relief to IDPs is first phase only. The crucial and most difficult phase will be their rehabilitation and reactivation of people friendly civil administration for which comprehensive plans must be chalked out now.

Asif Haroon Raja is Rawalpindi based freelance defence and political analyst.